Electrical component modules and refrigeration systems

Abstract

To miniaturize electrical component modules used in single-phase power supply refrigeration systems. [Solution] An electrical component module 10 provided in the outdoor unit 90b of a single-phase power supply refrigeration device 90, comprising: a circuit board 11; a plurality of cooling target elements 12 arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of the main surface A1 of the circuit board 11; and a heat sink 13 installed with a gap in the thickness direction relative to the main surface A1, having a shape that is elongated along the longitudinal direction of the plurality of cooling target elements 12 and in contact with the plurality of cooling target elements 12, wherein the plurality of cooling target elements 12 include a plurality of inverter circuits 21, 22 and a PFC circuit 23, the longitudinal length L1 of the circuit board 11 is 350 mm or less, the length L2 from one side to the other in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of cooling target elements 12 arranged on the main surface A1, and the longitudinal length L of the heat sink 13 2a These are electrical component modules 10, each measuring 250 mm or less and being 75% or less of the longitudinal length L1 of the substrate 11.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electrical component module and a refrigeration device.

Background Art

[0002] An electrical component module that controls a refrigeration device such as an air conditioner is provided in the machine room of an outdoor unit, and heat-generating components such as power elements included in the module may be cooled by a refrigerant pipe.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, in an electrical component module in the machine room of an outdoor unit, after dividing the area of a group of high-voltage components including heat-generating components and a group of low-voltage components including a microcomputer, etc., a plurality of heat-generating components are arranged in a row in the vertical direction, and a refrigerant pipe for cooling these components is also made into an elongated shape in the vertical direction. Such a configuration can simplify the arrangement of the refrigerant pipe for the electrical component module and compactify the space required for the pipe arrangement.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Since the electrical component module is installed using, for example, a limited space in an outdoor unit, miniaturization of the electrical component module itself is also required. Regarding space saving related to the electrical component module, proposals such as Patent Document 1 have been made, but further improvements are needed.

[0006] In particular, when using a single-phase power supply for a refrigeration system, a power factor correction circuit (PFC circuit) is required compared to using a three-phase power supply. This presents challenges in miniaturizing electrical module components, such as various constraints on the layout of each component.

[0007] Therefore, this disclosure aims to miniaturize electrical component modules used in single-phase power supply refrigeration systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] (1) The electrical component module of the present disclosure is an electrical component module provided in the outdoor unit of a single-phase power supply refrigeration system, comprising: a circuit board; a plurality of cooling elements arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction of the main surface of the circuit board; and a heat sink installed with a gap in the thickness direction relative to the main surface, having a shape that is elongated in the longitudinal direction along the plurality of cooling elements and in contact with the plurality of cooling elements, wherein the plurality of cooling elements include a plurality of inverter circuits and a PFC circuit, the longitudinal length of the circuit board is 350 mm or less, the length from one side to the other in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of cooling elements arranged on the main surface, and the longitudinal length of the heat sink are both 250 mm or less and 75% or less of the longitudinal length of the circuit board.

[0009] By arranging multiple cooling elements, including a PFC circuit, in a single line along the longitudinal direction of the substrate and adjusting their size accordingly, it is possible to miniaturize the electrical component module used in a single-phase power supply refrigeration system.

[0010] (2) Preferably, the plurality of elements to be cooled include a packaged rectifier circuit, the rectifier circuit includes a flat plate-shaped chip portion with screw holes formed in the thickness direction, and a plurality of terminals extending in a first direction from one side of the chip portion, the heat sink includes a fixing region to which either a first rectifier circuit having the chip portion having one side of a first length and a thickness of a first thickness, or a second rectifier circuit having the chip portion having one side of a second length shorter than the first length and a thickness thinner than the first thickness is fixed, the fixing region has a plurality of first screw holes for screwing the first rectifier circuit, and a second screw hole provided between the plurality of first screw holes for screwing the second rectifier circuit.

[0011] With this configuration, either the first or second rectifier circuit can be fixed to the same fixed area on the heatsink, eliminating the need to provide separate fixed areas for the first and second rectifier circuits side by side. As a result, the area of ​​the main surface of the circuit board and the heatsink can be reduced, enabling miniaturization of electrical component modules used in single-phase power supply refrigeration systems.

[0012] (3) Preferably, the substrate includes, on its main surface, a plurality of first terminal holes formed on each of the plurality of leads into which each of the plurality of terminals of the first rectifier circuit is inserted, and a plurality of second terminal holes formed on each of the plurality of leads, in the first direction, inward from the two first terminal holes located at both ends of the plurality of first terminal holes into which each of the plurality of terminals of the second rectifier circuit is inserted, wherein the plurality of second terminal holes are located between the chip portion and the plurality of first terminal holes in the thickness direction.

[0013] With this configuration, the first terminal hole and the second terminal hole share the same lead, allowing for a shorter wiring pattern on the circuit board. Furthermore, this arrangement ensures sufficient insulation distance between leads, enabling a more compact pattern layout.

[0014] (4) Preferably, the first rectifier circuit is fixed to the fixing area by inserting low-profile screws with heads of 1.2 mm or less into the screw holes of the tip portion and the first screw holes, and the gap in the thickness direction between the low-profile screws and the substrate is wider than the insulation distance of the tip portion.

[0015] This configuration allows for sufficient distance between the heads of the low-profile screws and the main surface of the circuit board, eliminating the need for measures such as drilling holes in the circuit board to ensure sufficient insulation distance. This increases the area on the main surface of the circuit board that can be used to lay out patterns. As a result, the main surface of the circuit board can be used more efficiently, and electrical component modules used in single-phase power supply refrigeration systems can be miniaturized.

[0016] (5) Preferably, the substrate is a substrate that includes a communication circuit and is laminated in multiple layers in the thickness direction, and the communication circuit is located in a position on the substrate that does not overlap with circuits other than the communication circuit when viewed in the thickness direction.

[0017] This configuration allows the communication circuit to be physically separated from other circuits, making it less susceptible to noise emitted from other circuits. As a result, the need for separate noise countermeasures in the communication circuit is reduced, and the space previously required for such countermeasures can be reduced, allowing for miniaturization of the electrical component modules used in single-phase power supply refrigeration systems.

[0018] (6) Preferably, the main surface further comprises a power supply circuit provided on one of the short-side directions of the plurality of elements to be cooled, and a control element provided on the other of the short-side directions of the plurality of elements to be cooled on the main surface for controlling the plurality of inverter circuits, wherein the power supply circuit supplies power to the plurality of inverter circuits through a plurality of input line sections provided on one of the short-side directions of the plurality of elements to be cooled, and the control element has a plurality of detection lines connected to each of the plurality of shunt resistors provided on each of the plurality of input line sections for detecting current values.

[0019] By separating the control element from the power supply circuit, the control element is less likely to be affected by the noise emitted from the power supply circuit. As a result, there is less need to take separate noise countermeasures at the control element, and the space required for such noise countermeasures can be reduced. Also, since a plurality of elements to be cooled are located between the control element and the power supply circuit, the gap for separating the control element and the power supply circuit can also be effectively utilized. Thereby, the electrical component module used in the single-phase power refrigeration device can be miniaturized.

[0020] (7) Preferably, the plurality of detection lines are input to a predetermined side of the control element.

[0021] By inputting the plurality of detection lines to the same side, the plurality of detection lines can be compactly grouped together, and the utilization of the space on the substrate can be made more efficient. Thereby, the electrical component module used in the single-phase power refrigeration device can be miniaturized.

[0022] (8) Preferably, the shunt resistor includes a resistor body, a first electrode and a second electrode that face each other in a second direction and are connected to both ends of the resistor body, a first signal line drawn from the central portion of the first electrode in a direction orthogonal to the second direction, and a second signal line drawn from an end portion of the second electrode in the orthogonal direction, and the first electrode and the second electrode are connected to the input line portion.

[0023] By drawing out signal lines from the central portion of the first electrode and the end portion of the second electrode respectively, signal lines can be drawn out with the same signal line pattern regardless of the width of the gap in the second direction between the first electrode and the second electrode. Thereby, there is no need to prepare a plurality of types of substrates according to the width of the gap in the second direction, and the versatility of the substrate can be increased.

[0024] (9) Preferably, it further includes a plurality of resin spacers for fixing the substrate to the wall surface inside the outdoor unit.

[0025] When fixing the substrate to the wall surface using bushings and color, there is no need to secure space for bushings or the like on the substrate, so the substrate can be made smaller than before. As a result, the electrical component module used in the single-phase power refrigeration device can be made smaller.

[0026] (10) Preferably, at least one of the plurality of resin spacers is a ground spacer including a resin part and a metal part, and the metal part conducts between the substrate and the wall surface.

[0027] Since the ground spacer among the resin spacers can also serve as a ground, the substrate can be made smaller than before compared to the case where the ground of the substrate is taken by a harness. As a result, the electrical component module used in the single-phase power refrigeration device can be made smaller.

[0028] (11) Preferably, further includes a thermistor element that measures the temperature of the measurement target element among the plurality of cooling target elements, and the thermistor element is fixed to the heat sink together with the measurement target element by a screw by sequentially inserting screws into screw holes formed in the thickness direction of the thermistor element, screw holes formed in the thickness direction of the measurement target element, and screw holes formed in the heat sink.

[0029] By fixing the thermistor element to the heat sink together with the measurement target element, the distance from the measurement target element becomes closer compared to the case where the thermistor element is individually fixed to the heat sink near the measurement target element. Therefore, the thermistor element can measure the temperature of the measurement target element more accurately. Also, by overlapping the measurement target element and the thermistor element in the thickness direction, the horizontal area required for the heat sink can be reduced. Thereby, the electrical component module used in the single-phase power refrigeration device can be made smaller.

[0030] (12) The refrigeration device of the present disclosure is a refrigeration device having any of the electrical component modules from (1) to (11) above.

[0031] According to the refrigeration system, the same effects and advantages as any of the electrical component modules (1) to (11) above can be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0032] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a refrigeration system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the electrical component module according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical component module cut along the cutting line III-III in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the main circuit configuration of the electrical component module. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of the portion of Figure 3 that includes the rectifier circuit. [Figure 6] Figure 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrical component module cut along the cutting line VI-VI. [Figure 7] Figure 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical component module cut along the cutting line VII-VII. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the layout of the rectifier circuit in the comparative example. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the layout of the communication circuit according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a shunt resistor according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a shunt resistor according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram showing the shunt resistance of a comparative example. [Figure 13] This is a schematic diagram showing the shunt resistance of a comparative example. [Figure 14] This is a schematic diagram showing a thermistor element viewed in the thickness direction. [Figure 15] This is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line XV-XV in Figure 14. [Figure 16]This is a schematic diagram illustrating the layout of the thermistor element in the comparative example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0033] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0034] [Embodiment] [Overall configuration of the refrigeration unit 90] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a refrigeration system 90 according to an embodiment. The refrigeration system 90 is an air conditioning system that cools, heats, dehumidifies, or humidifies, for example, an indoor space S1 of a building B1. The refrigeration system 90 comprises an indoor unit 90a installed in the indoor space S1, an outdoor unit 90b installed in the outdoor space S2, and a refrigerant circuit 90c connecting the indoor unit 90a and the outdoor unit 90b.

[0035] The refrigerant circuit 90c includes indoor and outdoor heat exchangers and various valves (not shown), a compressor 96, and refrigerant piping 97. The refrigerant circuit 90c performs heat exchange between the indoor space S1 and the outdoor space S2 using known refrigerant control technology to cool or heat the indoor space S1.

[0036] An enlarged view of the outdoor unit 90b is shown on the right side of Figure 1. The outdoor unit 90b includes a casing 91, an electrical component module 10 built into the casing 91, a number of fans 95, 95, a compressor 96, and refrigerant piping 97.

[0037] The casing 91 mainly comprises two spaces: a heat exchange chamber 92 and a machine room 93, each of which is separated by a partition plate 94. Multiple fans 95 and a heat exchanger (not shown) are housed in the heat exchange chamber 92, while the electrical module 10 and compressor 96 are housed in the machine room 93. Refrigerant piping 97 is provided across both the heat exchange chamber 92 and the machine room 93.

[0038] A portion of the refrigerant piping 97 is positioned close to the electrical module 10 as a refrigerant jacket 97a for cooling the electrical module 10. Specifically, the refrigerant jacket 97a is provided in contact with or close to the heat sink 13 included in the electrical module 10, and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant jacket 97a cools the heat sink 13. This cools the electrical module 10.

[0039] [Overall configuration of electrical component module 10] The electrical component module 10 includes a communication function for communicating with the indoor unit 90a, a control function for controlling various loads 84 of the outdoor unit 90b (for example, a fan 95 and a compressor 96), and a power supply function for supplying driving power to these loads 84.

[0040] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the electrical component module 10. The electrical component module 10 comprises a circuit board 11, a plurality of cooling elements 12, a heat sink 13, a communication circuit 31, a power supply circuit 41, a control element 42, and input / output terminals 55.

[0041] The substrate 11 is a flat printed circuit board made of resin as the base material. The substrate 11 includes a main surface A1 and a back surface A2 (Figure 3) which is the surface opposite to the main surface A1. The substrate 11 is fixed to the wall surface of the casing 91, with the main surface A1 facing the heat sink 13 and the back surface A2 facing the sheet metal wall surface (for example, a partition plate 94) of the casing 91.

[0042] Here, the shorter side of the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 will be referred to as the "X direction," the longer side as the "Y direction," and the thickness direction of the substrate 11 as the "Z direction." For explanatory purposes, Figure 2 includes an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. The same applies to subsequent drawings.

[0043] Multiple cooling elements 12 are arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the main surface A1 of the substrate 11. By arranging the multiple cooling elements 12 in this longitudinal direction, the shape of the heat sink 13 that cools these cooling elements 12, and the shape of the refrigerant jacket 97a that cools the heat sink 13, can be made into a relatively simple rectangular shape.

[0044] Each of the multiple cooling elements 12 includes multiple inverter circuits 21, 22, a PFC circuit 23, and a rectifier circuit 24. The multiple inverter circuits 21, 22 include a first inverter circuit 21 that outputs drive power to the compressor 96 and a second inverter circuit 22 that outputs drive power to the fan 95.

[0045] For example, the multiple cooling elements 12 are arranged in the following order from one side in the longitudinal direction (bottom in the example in Figure 2): rectifier circuit 24, PFC circuit 23, second inverter circuit 22, and first inverter circuit 21. The rectifier circuit 24 is located close to one side (bottom edge) in the longitudinal direction of the main surface A1 of the substrate 11, while the first inverter circuit 21 is located at a distance from the other side (top edge) in the longitudinal direction of the main surface A1 of the substrate 11. In other words, the rectifier circuit 24 is located closer to the longitudinal edge of the substrate 11 than the first inverter circuit 21.

[0046] In this way, by arranging multiple cooling target elements 12 towards one side in the longitudinal direction on the main surface A1 of the substrate 11, other elements such as other logic devices (elements that generate less heat than the cooling target elements 12) can be concentrated in the space on the other side, thereby making effective use of the space on the main surface A1.

[0047] The multiple cooling target elements 12 are so-called power devices (power semiconductors), and they generate heat during operation. This heat can cause deformation or deterioration of the resin substrate 11, potentially leading to malfunctions in the substrate 11.

[0048] Therefore, in order to prevent the aforementioned malfunction, the heat sink 13 is brought into contact with multiple cooling target elements 12, and the heat from these cooling target elements 12 is transferred to the heat sink 13. The heat transferred to the heat sink 13 is released to the outside of the heat sink 13 by being released into the air or transferred to the coolant flowing through the coolant jacket 97a. This prevents malfunctions of the substrate 11 caused by the multiple cooling target elements 12 becoming overheated.

[0049] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical component module 10 cut along the cutting line III-III in Figure 2. The heat sink 13 is a metal (for example, made of aluminum) component that cools multiple cooling target elements 12, and has multiple irregularities (not shown) to increase the surface area in order to enhance the heat dissipation effect.

[0050] The heatsink 13 is installed with a gap in the thickness direction (Z direction) relative to the main surface A1, and multiple cooling target elements 12 are installed on the surface of the heatsink 13 facing the main surface A1. Specifically, each of the multiple cooling target elements 12 is a packaged circuit, each including a chip portion and terminals. The chip portion is fixed to the heatsink 13, and the terminals are connected to the circuit board 11, thereby mounting it on the circuit board 11.

[0051] The heat sink 13 has a shape that is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the main surface A1 along the multiple cooling elements 12. For example, the length of the heat sink 13 in the longitudinal direction is L2a, which is the length L2 from one side to the other in the longitudinal direction along which the multiple cooling elements 12 are lined up, plus a small margin (L2a > L2).

[0052] Refer to Figure 2. The power supply circuit 41 is a circuit that supplies the input AC power received from the AC power supply 81 to each element included in the electrical component module 10. The power supply circuit 41 includes, for example, a reactor and a capacitor for smoothing the input AC power. The part of the power supply circuit 41 that includes the reactor is called the reactor section 41a, and the part that includes the capacitor is called the capacitor section 41b (Figure 4).

[0053] The control element 42 is an element that controls each element included in the electrical component module 10. Specifically, the control element 42 controls the on / off state of the switching elements described later included in the first inverter circuit 21 and the second inverter circuit 22, respectively, according to the input waveform from the power supply circuit 41. In this way, by having one control element 42 control multiple circuits 21, 22, the number of elements mounted on the board 11 can be reduced. The control element 42 is, for example, a microcomputer (MPC) that includes a memory and a processor that performs various calculations and controls according to a computer program stored in the memory.

[0054] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the main circuit configuration of the electrical component module 10. This circuit configuration is designed to enable the electrical component module 10 to perform a power supply function. The electrical component module 10 converts the single-phase input AC power input from the AC power supply 81 to the input line section 82 into three-phase (U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase) output AC power suitable for driving the various loads 84 included in the outdoor unit 90b, and outputs it to the loads 84 via the output line section 83.

[0055] The AC power supply 81 is, for example, a single-phase 200V commercial power supply. The input line section 82 includes a first power line LH with a high potential and a second power line LL with a lower potential than the first power line LH. If the AC power supply 81 is the upstream side and the load 84 is the downstream side, the input line section 82 is electrically connected in the following order from upstream: rectifier circuit 24, reactor section 41a, PFC circuit 23, and capacitor section 41b, and the output of the capacitor section 41b is distributed to the first inverter circuit 21 and the second inverter circuit 22. Note that the above connection order is just an example, and the connection order may be changed as appropriate. For example, the reactor section 41a may be provided upstream of the rectifier circuit 24.

[0056] First, the input AC is input to the rectifier circuit 24. The rectifier circuit 24 (converter circuit) converts the input AC into DC. The rectifier circuit 24 is a full-wave rectifier circuit with a bridge diode structure including, for example, four diodes.

[0057] Next, the reactor section 41a smooths the rectified DC and outputs it to the PFC circuit 23. The PFC circuit 23 (power factor correction circuit) corrects the phase shift caused by the capacitors and reactors included in the power supply circuit 41, thereby bringing the power factor closer to 1. As the PFC circuit 23, a known type of circuit, such as a passive or active type, is used. The DC output from the PFC circuit 23 is smoothed by the capacitor section 41b and output to the first inverter circuit 21 and the second inverter circuit 22.

[0058] The first inverter circuit 21 includes a plurality of switching elements (for example, six insulated-gate bipolar transistors: IGBTs), and the on / off switching of these switching elements is appropriately controlled by the control element 42 to convert the input DC into a three-phase output AC, and outputs the output AC to the output line section 83. The output AC is supplied to the compressor 96 via the output line section 83.

[0059] The second inverter circuit 22, like the first inverter circuit 21, includes multiple switching elements, and the on / off switching of these switching elements is appropriately controlled by the control element 42 to convert the input DC into a three-phase output AC, which is then output to the output line section 83. This output AC is supplied to the fan 95 via the output line section 83.

[0060] [Regarding the size of circuit board 11, etc.] Now, with reference to Figure 2, the dimensions of the substrate 11 and other components will be explained. The length L1 of the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 in the longitudinal direction is 350 mm or less, for example, 315 mm. Also, the length L3 of the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 in the short direction is 240 mm or less, for example, 190 mm. In this way, the substrate 11 of this embodiment is smaller than the size of conventional substrates (for example, 350 mm or more in the longitudinal direction and 240 mm or more in the short direction).

[0061] This is due to the fact that, as a result of improving the layout of each element on the substrate 11 by the following points of improvement (1) to (4), each element can be mounted on a substrate 11 with a smaller area than before. The details of these points of improvement will be described later.

[0062] <Points of improvement regarding miniaturization of the substrate 11> (1) Improvement regarding the layout of the rectifier circuit 24 (2) Improvement regarding the layout of the communication circuit 31 (3) Improvement regarding the layout of the control element 42 (4) Improvement regarding the layout of the thermistor element 60 (described later)

[0063] Also, the length L2 along which a plurality of cooling target elements 12 are aligned and the length L2a of the heat sink 13 are both 250 mm or less and 75% or less of the length L1 in the longitudinal direction of the main surface A1 of the substrate 11. The length L2a of the heat sink 13 is, for example, 223 mm, and the length L2 is slightly shorter than that. Thus, since the heat sink 13 of the present embodiment is shorter than the substrate 11 in the longitudinal direction, a wide area that does not face the heat sink 13 can be secured on the substrate 11.

[0064] While the heat sink 13 can cool the cooling target element 12, if it faces a region of the substrate 11 that is less likely to generate heat, condensation may occur in that region, and there is a risk that the elements included in the substrate 11 may malfunction due to the water droplets of this condensation. In the present embodiment, by limiting the region where the heat sink 13 is located to the region along the plurality of cooling target elements 12 and configuring the heat sink 13 so as not to face the substrate 11 unnecessarily, the above-mentioned malfunction can be prevented.

[0065] Hereinafter, the points of improvement such as the layout in the electrical component module 10 will be described.

[0066] [Layout of the rectifier circuit 24] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of a portion including the rectifier circuit 24 in FIG. 3. Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the electrical component module 10 along the cutting line VI-VI in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the electrical component module 10 along the cutting line VII-VII in Figure 6.

[0067] The rectifier circuit 24 is a packaged circuit and, as shown in Figure 6, includes a flat chip portion 241 and a plurality of terminals 243 extending in a first direction from one side 242 of the chip portion 241. The chip portion 241 has screw holes 244 through which screws for fixing the chip portion 241 to the heat sink 13 are passed. Here, the first direction is a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (Z direction) and is any direction in the XY plane. In Figure 5, the X direction is used as an example of the first direction.

[0068] For the rectifier circuit 24, different packaged circuits are used depending on the required performance. For example, in a high-output refrigeration system 90, a higher average forward current I is used as the rectifier circuit 24. F If a rating of 25A or more and 50A or less is required, the first rectifier circuit 24a is used, and an average forward current I lower than that is used. F If a current rating of less than 25A is required (for example), the second rectifier circuit 24b is used.

[0069] The first rectifier circuit 24a is, for example, a single in-line bridge diode in a TSB package manufactured by Shindengen Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd. The second rectifier circuit 24b is a single in-line bridge diode in a 5S package manufactured by the same company.

[0070] The length and thickness of one side 242 of the chip portion 241 are greater for the first rectifier circuit 24a than for the second rectifier circuit 24b. For example, the length W1 (hereinafter referred to as "first length W1") of one side 242 of the first rectifier circuit 24a is 46 mm, and the thickness T1 (hereinafter referred to as "first thickness T1") is 7.5 mm. In contrast, the length W2 (hereinafter referred to as "second length W2") of one side 242 of the second rectifier circuit 24b is 30 mm, and the thickness T2 (hereinafter referred to as "second thickness T2") is 4.6 mm.

[0071] Thus, since the first rectifier circuit 24a is larger than the second rectifier circuit 24b, a plurality (for example, two) of screw holes 244 are formed in the first rectifier circuit 24a along the first direction, while the second rectifier circuit 24b has a smaller number (for example, one) of screw holes 244 formed therein than the first rectifier circuit 24a.

[0072] Also, in order to enable the layout described later, the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second rectifier circuit 24b are combined such that when the respective chip portions 241 are stacked in the thickness direction, the entire range of the chip portion 241 of the second rectifier circuit 24b overlaps the chip portion 241 of the first rectifier circuit 24a in the XY plane, and the respective screw holes 244 do not overlap each other.

[0073] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining a comparative example of the layout of the rectifier circuit 24. Conventionally, when the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second rectifier circuit 24b can be selectively mounted on the heat sink 130 as the rectifier circuit 24, and either one of the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second rectifier circuit 24b is mounted according to the required output, it is necessary to separately secure the first space SP1 for mounting the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second space SP2 for mounting the second rectifier circuit 24b on the heat sink 130.

[0074] The reason is that the chip portion 241 of the first rectifier circuit 24a is thick, and when the chip portion 241 is fixed to the heat sink 130 with the screw 248, the gap G2 between the head of the screw 248 and the main surface of the substrate 11 becomes smaller than the insulation distance Gx to be ensured for the chip portion 241 of the first rectifier circuit 24a (G2 < Gx). The insulation distance Gx is also referred to as the "spatial distance".

[0075] In this case, in order to ensure insulation between the chip portion 241 and the substrate 11, it is necessary to form a hole 114 in the region of the substrate 11 facing the screw 248. Such a hole 114 needs to be formed even when the second rectifier circuit 24b is actually mounted in order to enable the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second rectifier circuit 24b to be selectively mounted on the heat sink 130.

[0076] Furthermore, if the second rectifier circuit 24b is fixed to the first space SP1 with such a hole 114 present, the hole 114 will overlap with the portion of the terminal 243 of the second rectifier circuit 24b that faces the circuit board 11, making it impossible to connect the terminal 243 of the second rectifier circuit 24b to the circuit board 11.

[0077] Therefore, in order to selectively mount both the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second rectifier circuit 24b in a single first space SP1 in the comparative example, it was necessary to make the gap G2 larger than the insulation distance Gx to eliminate the need for the hole 114, which required making the gap between the heat sink 130 and the substrate 11 larger. However, with this configuration, the thickness of the electrical component module 10 itself increased, resulting in the problem of the electrical component module 10 becoming larger.

[0078] For the reasons stated above, conventionally, as shown in Figure 8, a second space SP2 was secured separately from the first space SP1 (for example, a position adjacent to the first space SP1 in the Y direction), and the second rectifier circuit 24b was fixed to this second space SP2. As a result, the area of ​​the heat sink 130 and the substrate 11 in the XY plane was increased because it was necessary to secure the second space SP2 separately from the first space SP1.

[0079] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the tip portion 241 of the first rectifier circuit 24a is fixed to the heat sink 13 by low-profile screws 246. The low-profile screws 246 are screws with a head thickness of 1.2 mm or less, for example, a head thickness of 0.9 mm or more and 1.1 mm or less. In the case of ordinary screws such as screws 248, the head thickness is generally 1.85 mm or more and 2.15 mm or less, and the head thickness of the low-profile screws 246 is about half the head thickness of a typical screw 248.

[0080] Therefore, the gap G1 from the head of the low-profile screw 246 that fixes the chip portion 241 to the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 can be wider than the gap G2 and also wider than the insulation distance Gx (G1>Gx>G2). As a result, the hole 114 can be made unnecessary, and in the heat sink 13, either the first rectifier circuit 24a or the second rectifier circuit 24b can be fixed in the same fixing area 131 (corresponding to the first space SP1 above), making the second space SP2 unnecessary.

[0081] Figure 5 illustrates how either the first rectifier circuit 24a or the second rectifier circuit 24b is fixed to the same fixed area 131. The fixed area 131 of the heatsink 13 has a plurality of (for example, two) first screw holes 132 for screwing in the first rectifier circuit 24a, and a second screw hole 133 provided between the plurality of first screw holes 132 for screwing in the second rectifier circuit 24b. The number of second screw holes 133 is less than the number of first screw holes 132, for example, one.

[0082] The first rectifier circuit 24a is fixed to the fixing area 131 by inserting low-profile screws 246 into the screw holes 244 and the first screw hole 132, respectively. The second rectifier circuit 24b is fixed to the fixing area 131 by inserting screws 247 into the screw holes 244 and the second screw hole 133, respectively. Screws 247 may be ordinary screws (screws 248) or low-profile screws. However, since the second thickness T2 of the second rectifier circuit 24b is thinner than the first thickness T1, and as shown in Figure 8, the insulation distance Gx with the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 can be secured even if ordinary screws 248 are used, screws 247 may have a thicker head than the low-profile screws 246 used to fix the first rectifier circuit 24a.

[0083] While the low-profile screw 246 has the advantage of ensuring the insulation distance Gx as described above due to its thin head, the thin head also increases the risk of the screw threads being stripped (so-called "stripping") when torque is applied to tighten the screw. Furthermore, standard screws 248 are generally cheaper than low-profile screws 246. For this reason, by using screws with larger heads for fixing the second rectifier circuit 24b than the screws for fixing the first rectifier circuit 24a, manufacturing costs can be reduced while suppressing stripping of the screw threads and ensuring ease of manufacturing.

[0084] Furthermore, in the low-profile screws 246 used to fix the first rectifier circuit 24a, it is preferable to use low-profile screws 246 that are less prone to thread damage in order to suppress thread damage. For example, "Tough Cross" (trademark registered) manufactured by Nitto Seiko Co., Ltd. may be used as the low-profile screws 246.

[0085] Refer to Figure 7. Next, we will describe the lead arrangement of the substrate 11 when the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second rectifier circuit 24b can be selectively fixed in the same fixed area 131.

[0086] The main surface A1 of the substrate 11 is provided with a plurality of leads 111a, 111b, 111c, and 111d (simply referred to as "leads 111" unless otherwise specified) for electrical contact with the terminals 243 of the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second rectifier circuit 24b.

[0087] These leads 111 have multiple first terminal holes 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d (simply referred to as "first terminal holes 112" unless otherwise specified) into which multiple terminals 243 of the first rectifier circuit 24a are inserted, and multiple second terminal holes 113a, 113b, 113c, 113d (simply referred to as "second terminal holes 113" unless otherwise specified) into which multiple terminals 243 of the second rectifier circuit 24b are inserted. For example, lead 111a has a first terminal hole 112a and a second terminal hole 113a.

[0088] Furthermore, all second terminal holes 113 are formed inward from the two first terminal holes 112a and 112d located at both ends of the multiple first terminal holes 112 when viewed in the first direction (X direction) of the multiple leads 111. Also, all second terminal holes 113 are located between the tip portion 241 and the first terminal holes 112 when viewed in the thickness direction (Z direction).

[0089] With this layout, the first terminal hole 112 and the second terminal hole 113 share the same lead 111, allowing for a shorter wiring pattern on the circuit board 11. Furthermore, this arrangement ensures sufficient insulation distance (creepage distance) between the leads 111, enabling a more compact pattern layout.

[0090] [Layout of communication circuit 31] Refer to Figure 2. The communication circuit 31 is a circuit for realizing the communication function of the electrical component module 10. The communication circuit 31 is an "indoor-outdoor transmission circuit" that performs various processes related to communication between, for example, the indoor unit 90a and the outdoor unit 90b.

[0091] On the circuit board 11, the communication circuit 31 is located at the edge (for example, at a corner away from the power supply circuit 41 in Figure 2). By positioning the communication circuit 31 close to the periphery of the circuit board 11 in this way, the transmission and reception of communication signals in the communication circuit 31 can be facilitated.

[0092] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the layout of the communication circuit 31. The substrate 11 is a substrate with multiple layers stacked in the thickness direction. In Figure 9, the substrate 11 is shown as an example of a four-layer laminated substrate, including the first substrate 11a, the second substrate 11b, the third substrate 11c, and the fourth substrate 11d, in order from the top layer on the main surface A1 side. However, the number of layers in the substrate 11 is not limited to this.

[0093] In the laminated substrate 11 in this manner, the communication circuit 31 is positioned so as not to overlap with other circuits on the substrate 11. As an example of the communication circuit 31 being provided across multiple layers of the substrate 11, consider the case where the communication circuit 31a is provided on the first substrate 11a, the communication circuit 31b is provided on the second substrate 11b, and the communication circuit 31d is provided on the fourth substrate 11d. In this case, the region where at least one of these communication circuits 31a, 31b, and 31d is located, viewed in the thickness direction, is called the communication circuit region R1.

[0094] Next, as an example of circuits other than the communication circuit 31 (other circuits), consider the case where the first inverter circuit 21 and the second inverter circuit 22 are provided near the communication circuit region R1 across multiple layers. The circuits other than the communication circuit 31 are not limited to inverter circuits; for example, they could be a PFC circuit 23 or a rectifier circuit 24. However, in the case of inverter circuits in particular, inverter noise is easily generated due to the on / off switching of switching elements, and this noise is highly likely to adversely affect the communication performance of the communication circuit 31. For this reason, the first inverter circuit 21 and the second inverter circuit 22 will be used as representative examples of other circuits in the following explanation.

[0095] For example, if a first inverter circuit 21a is provided on the first substrate 11a, a first inverter circuit 21b is provided on the second substrate 11b, and a second inverter circuit 22c is provided on the third substrate 11c, then the region where at least one of these circuits 21a, 21b, and 22c is located, when viewed in the thickness direction, is referred to as the other circuit region R2.

[0096] In this embodiment, the communication circuit region R1 is positioned so as not to overlap with other circuit regions R2 when viewed in the thickness direction. In particular, the communication circuit region R1 is separated from other circuit regions R2 by at least an inter-regional distance D1.

[0097] If, in the thickness direction, at least a portion of the communication circuit region R1 overlaps with another circuit region R2, noise generated in the circuit included in the other circuit region R2 (such as an inverter circuit) could propagate to the communication circuit 31 due to coupling capacitance in the thickness direction, potentially degrading the communication performance of the communication circuit 31. Furthermore, the propagation of such noise to the communication circuit 31 as described above could increase the conducted noise emitted from the communication lines of the communication circuit 31.

[0098] To avoid this, conventional methods included increasing the size of noise reduction structures such as common-mode choke coils included in the communication circuit 31 or power supply circuit 41 (also referred to as the "main circuit"), or attaching noise filters such as harness cores to the communication circuit 31, etc. However, these measures had the problem of increasing the size of the circuit board 11, which includes the communication circuit 31, etc.

[0099] In contrast, as described above, by arranging the communication circuit 31 so that it does not overlap with other circuits when viewed in the thickness direction, the communication circuit 31 can be physically separated from other circuits, making it less susceptible to noise emitted from other circuits. As a result, the need to implement separate noise countermeasures in the communication circuit 31, etc., is reduced, and the space required for such noise countermeasures can be reduced, making it possible to miniaturize the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90.

[0100] [Analysis results regarding the layout of the communication circuit 31] Here, a ground line (GND line) pattern was placed as the other circuit region R2, and the coupling capacitance [pF (picofarads)] between the communication circuit 31 and the other circuit was analyzed by simulation under two conditions: when the communication circuit region R1 and the other circuit region R2 overlap in the thickness direction, and when they do not overlap and the distance D1 between the regions is set from 0.125 mm to 2.0 mm. The results are shown below.

[0101] When R1 and R2 are stacked: 3.9 [pF] D1 = 0.125 [mm]: 1.4 [pF] D1 = 0.5 [mm] : 1.3 [pF] D1 = 1.0 [mm] : 1.1 [pF] D1 = 2.0 [mm] : 0.98 [pF]

[0102] As described above, compared to the case where the communication circuit region R1 and other circuit regions R2 are stacked in the thickness direction, it was confirmed that by ensuring an inter-region distance D1 of 0.125 mm or more, the coupling capacitance can be reduced by more than half, and a noise reduction effect can be expected. In particular, if the inter-region distance D1 is 1.0 mm or more, the coupling capacitance can be reduced to less than one-third compared to the case where they are stacked, so a sufficient noise reduction effect can be expected. For this reason, it is preferable to set the inter-region distance D1 to 0.125 mm or more.

[0103] On the other hand, when the inter-region distance D1 is 2.0 mm, only 89% of the noise reduction effect obtained when it is 1.0 mm is achieved, and it is thought that the additional noise reduction effect will be gradual even if the inter-region distance D1 exceeds 2.0 mm. For this reason, in order to achieve a certain level of noise reduction while miniaturizing the substrate 11, it is more preferable from the viewpoint of noise reduction to set the inter-region distance D1 to 0.125 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.

[0104] Furthermore, within the same layer, it is necessary to ensure an insulating distance between the communication circuit area R1 and other circuit areas R2. In the example in Figure 9, the communication circuit 31a and the first inverter circuit 21a are located on the same layer, the first substrate 11a, so depending on the required insulating distance, a distance wider than 2.0 mm (wider than the inter-region distance D1) may be necessary. In contrast, for example, the communication circuit 31d (located on the fourth substrate 11d) and the second inverter circuit 22c (located on the third substrate 11c) are located on different layers, so the distance between them can be set to the inter-region distance D1. In other words, in the case of the same layer, in addition to the inter-region distance D1, further spacing may be required to ensure an insulating distance.

[0105] [Layout of control element 42] Referring to Figure 2, the layout of the control element 42 will be explained. The control element 42 is a so-called "logic device" that includes a processor that performs various calculations and controls, and is susceptible to adverse effects from noise. For this reason, it is preferable to place it away from the PFC circuit 23, which is particularly prone to generating large amounts of noise, and the power supply circuit 41, which is a noise path, among the elements mounted on the substrate 11.

[0106] Therefore, in this embodiment, the power supply circuit 41 is provided on one side of the shorter direction of the multiple cooling target elements 12 (the right side in the example of Figure 2), and the control element 42 is provided on the other side of the shorter direction of the multiple cooling target elements 12 (the left side in the example of Figure 2). In other words, the control element 42 is provided on the opposite side of the power supply circuit 41, with the multiple cooling target elements 12 in between, thereby separating the control element 42 from the power supply circuit 41.

[0107] This makes the control element 42 less susceptible to noise emitted from the power supply circuit 41. As a result, the need for separate noise countermeasures on the control element 42 is reduced, and the space previously required for such noise countermeasures can be reduced. In addition, since multiple cooling target elements 12 are located between the control element 42 and the power supply circuit 41, the space used to separate the control element 42 and the power supply circuit 41 can be effectively utilized. This makes it possible to miniaturize the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90.

[0108] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, the power supply circuit 41 supplies power to the multiple inverter circuits 21 and 22 respectively via input line sections 82 provided on one of the shorter sides of the multiple cooling elements 12.

[0109] As shown in Figure 4, the second power line LL connected to the first inverter circuit 21 is provided with a shunt resistor 44 for detecting the current value flowing into the first inverter circuit 21. Similarly, the second power line LL connected to the second inverter circuit 22 is also provided with a shunt resistor 44 for detecting the current value flowing into the second inverter circuit 22.

[0110] Multiple detection lines 45,45 are connected to these shunt resistors 44,44 to detect the current value from each shunt resistor 44,44. As shown in Figure 2, the multiple detection lines 45,45 are input to a predetermined side of the control element 42 (for example, one side in the longitudinal direction, which is the bottom side in Figure 2).

[0111] Specifically, the control element 42 is provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction and the other side in the short direction of the first inverter circuit 21 (upper right of the first inverter circuit 21 in Figure 2). By installing the control element 42 diagonally offset in this way, rather than adjacent to the multiple cooling target elements 12 including the first inverter circuit 21, it is possible to reduce adverse effects such as noise that the control element 42 receives from the cooling target elements 12 (especially the first inverter circuit 21) and the heat sink 13.

[0112] Furthermore, by inputting multiple detection lines 45,45 to the same side, the multiple detection lines 45,45 can be compactly arranged, making efficient use of space on the circuit board 11. This makes it possible to miniaturize the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90.

[0113] [Detection line pattern of shunt resistor 44] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the shunt resistor 44. In this embodiment, by devising the pattern of the detection line 45 (signal line) drawn from the shunt resistor 44 to the control element 42, the versatility of the substrate 11 is increased as described later, and the overall manufacturing cost of the electrical component module 10 is reduced by reducing the production lot size of the substrate 11.

[0114] As described above, the shunt resistor 44 is connected to the second power line LL to detect the current value of the input line 82. The shunt resistor 44 comprises a resistor 441, a first electrode 442, a second electrode 443, a first signal line 444, and a second signal line 445.

[0115] The first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 are connected to the second power line LL, respectively, facing each other in the second direction. Here, the second direction (exemplified as the X direction in Figure 10) is the direction in which the second power line LL extends, among the directions in the XY plane.

[0116] The first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 are connected to both ends of the resistor 441, thereby connecting the resistor 441 in parallel with the second power line LL. For example, the first electrode 442 is the positive electrode and the second electrode 443 is the negative electrode.

[0117] The first signal line 444 and the second signal line 445 are a pair of signal lines drawn from the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 to the control element 42, respectively, in order to detect the voltage drop in the resistor 441 using the control element 42. The detection line 45 (Figure 2) includes the first signal line 444 and the second signal line 445.

[0118] The first signal line 444 (the positive signal line) is drawn out from the central part 442a of the first electrode 442 in a direction perpendicular to the second direction (the direction in which the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 extend, which is the Y direction in Figure 10). More specifically, the first signal line 444 is drawn out from the midpoint of the first electrode 442 in the direction perpendicular to the second direction.

[0119] The second signal line 445 (the negative signal line) is drawn out from the end 443b of the second electrode 443 in a direction perpendicular to the second direction. More specifically, the second signal line 445 is drawn out from one side of the second electrode 443 in a direction perpendicular to the second direction (the bottom side in Figure 10).

[0120] Here, the central portion 442a of the first electrode 442 refers to the region located in the center of the first electrode 442 when the first electrode 442 is divided into three equal parts by a length perpendicular to the second direction. Similarly, the end portion 442b of the first electrode 442 refers to the region located at the end of the first electrode 442 when it is divided into three equal parts. The same applies to the central portion 443a and end portion 443b of the second electrode 443.

[0121] As described above, the first signal line 444 and the second signal line 445 differ in that the signal lines are drawn from electrodes 442 and 443 at the "center" and "ends" of the electrodes, respectively. The reason for this will be explained using Figures 12 and 13.

[0122] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the shunt resistance 44b in the comparative example. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the shunt resistance 44c in a comparative example. Shunt resistors 44b and 44c differ mainly from shunt resistor 44 in the signal line lead-out pattern; other configurations are the same as shunt resistor 44. Therefore, components common to shunt resistor 44 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their explanations are omitted as appropriate.

[0123] Generally, the signal line lead-out pattern in a shunt resistor varies depending on the gap between the electrodes. For example, shunt resistor 44b (Figure 12) has a relatively narrow gap W41 between the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 facing each other in the second direction. In such a narrow pattern, the signal lines are led out from the ends of the electrodes. In Figure 12, the first signal line 446 is led out from the end 442b of the first electrode 442, and the second signal line 445 is led out from the end 443b of the second electrode 443. Thus, both the first signal line 446 and the second signal line 445 are led out from the ends 442b and 443b, respectively.

[0124] In contrast, the shunt resistor 44c (Figure 13) has a relatively wide gap W42 between the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 in the second direction (W42 > W41). In the case of such a wide pattern, the signal lines are drawn out from the center of the electrodes. In Figure 13, the first signal line 444 is drawn out from the central part 442a of the first electrode 442, and the second signal line 447 is drawn out from the central part 443a of the second electrode 443. Thus, both the first signal line 444 and the second signal line 447 are drawn out from the central parts 442a and 443a, respectively.

[0125] The gaps W41 and W42 are used differently depending on the resistance value of the resistor 441, for example. In the case of the electrical component module 10, for example, the magnitude of the current detected by the shunt resistor 44 changes depending on the output of the fan 95 or the compressor 96, and the resistance value required for the resistor 441 changes accordingly.

[0126] Therefore, conventionally, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, it was necessary to prepare at least two batches of circuit boards 11, such as one with the shunt resistor 44b mounted and another with the shunt resistor 44c mounted, depending on the output of the compressor 96 used in the refrigeration system 90.

[0127] In contrast, the shunt resistor 44 of this embodiment uses the same pattern as the signal line lead-out pattern whether the width of the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 is a gap W41 or a gap W42. Figure 10 shows an example in which the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 face each other in the second direction with a gap W41. In this case, as described above, the first signal line 444 and the second signal line 445 are led out from the central part 442a of the first electrode 442 and the end part 443b of the second electrode 443, respectively.

[0128] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the shunt resistor 44, illustrating an example where the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 face each other in the second direction with a gap W42. In this case as well, the first signal line 444 and the second signal line 445 have the same shape as in Figure 10, with the first signal line 444 and the second signal line 445 being drawn out from the central part 442a of the first electrode 442 and the end part 443b of the second electrode 443, respectively.

[0129] By configuring the second signal line 445 to be drawn from the end 443b of the second electrode 443, it is possible to draw a signal using the same pattern of the second signal line 445 even when the second electrode 443 is separated from the first electrode 442 by a gap W41 or a gap W42. In other words, to accommodate various gaps, the second signal line 445 is drawn from the end 443b.

[0130] Furthermore, since the current flowing through the shunt resistor 44 does not flow uniformly in the direction perpendicular to the second direction, the first signal line 444 is drawn from the central part 442a of the first electrode 442. This reduces detection errors.

[0131] As described above, by drawing signal lines 444 and 445 from the central part 442a of the first electrode 442 and the end part 443b of the second electrode 443, the signal lines 444 and 445 can be drawn using the same signal line pattern regardless of the width of the gap W41 and W42 in the second direction between the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443. This eliminates the need to prepare multiple types of substrates 11 depending on the width of the gap W41 and W42 in the second direction, thereby increasing the versatility of the substrate 11.

[0132] [Layout of thermistor element 60] As an example of layout design considerations in the electrical component module 10, the layout of the thermistor element 60 will be explained. The refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant jacket 97a changes depending on various factors such as the ambient temperature and the operating mode of the refrigeration unit 90 (for example, heating operation or cooling operation). Therefore, temperature protection is necessary for the element to be cooled 12, which is cooled by the refrigerant jacket 97a and the heat sink 13.

[0133] For example, if the cooling is insufficient and the element to be cooled 12 becomes excessively hot, or conversely, if it is overcooled and the element to be cooled 12 becomes excessively cold, protective actions such as lowering the current flowing to the element to be cooled 12 are performed to prevent failure of the element to be cooled 12.

[0134] Therefore, the electrical component module 10 further includes a thermistor element 60 for measuring the temperature of elements among the cooling target elements 12 that require particular temperature protection (hereinafter referred to as "measurement target elements 200"). The measurement target elements 200 are, for example, switching elements included in the PFC circuit 23.

[0135] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the thermistor element 60 as viewed in the thickness direction. Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view obtained by cutting along the cutting line XV-XV in Figure 14. The thermistor element 60 comprises a mounting portion 61, a resistor 62, and wiring 63. The mounting portion 61 is a metal fitting that is attached to the object to be measured, and a screw hole 61a is formed in the thickness direction of the mounting portion 61. The resistor 62 is a resistor such as a semiconductor ceramic whose electrical resistance value changes with temperature. The wiring 63 is, for example, a pair of wires, and it transmits the change in the resistance value of the resistor 62 as a change in current value to a detection unit (not shown).

[0136] The element to be measured 200 comprises a chip portion 201 and a plurality of terminals 202 extending from one side of the chip portion 201 to the substrate 11. Screw holes 201a are formed in the thickness direction of the chip portion 201.

[0137] The thermistor element 60 and the element to be measured 200 are fixed to the heat sink 13 by fastening them together with the same screws 70. Specifically, with the element to be measured 200 placed on the heat sink 13 and the thermistor element 60 placed on top of the element to be measured 200, the screws 70 are sequentially inserted into the screw holes 61a, 201a and 13a formed in the heat sink 13, thereby fixing the element to be measured 200 between the thermistor element 60 and the heat sink 13.

[0138] Since two elements, the thermistor element 60 and the element to be measured 200, are fixed on the heat sink 13, the gap between the head of the screw 70 and the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 tends to be narrow. For this reason, in order to ensure sufficient insulation distance between the screw 70 and the substrate 11, it is preferable to use a low-profile screw for the screw 70 with a head thickness of, for example, 0.9 mm to 1.1 mm.

[0139] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating a comparative example of the layout of the thermistor element 60. Conventionally, the thermistor element 60 was not fastened together with the element to be measured 200, but rather was provided adjacent to the element to be measured 200 in the XY plane. In the example in Figure 16, the element to be measured 200 is fixed to the heat sink 13 by itself with screws 72. Then, adjacent to the element to be measured 200 in the Y direction, the thermistor element 60 is fixed to the heat sink 13 with screws 71, separate from screws 72. As a result, the thermistor element 60 indirectly measures the temperature of the element to be measured 200 by measuring the temperature of the heat sink 13 near the element to be measured 200.

[0140] In contrast, in this embodiment, since the thermistor element 60 and the element to be measured 200 are fastened together, the resistor 62 of the thermistor element 60 comes into contact with the element to be measured 200, allowing the temperature of the element to be measured 200 to be measured directly. As a result, the thermistor element 60 can measure the temperature of the element to be measured 200 more accurately.

[0141] Furthermore, by overlapping the element to be measured 200 and the thermistor element 60 in the thickness direction, it becomes unnecessary to secure a separate space for the thermistor element 60 in the heat sink 13, separate from the element to be measured 200. This reduces the area required in the XY direction for the heat sink 13, and allows for miniaturization of the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration device 90.

[0142] [Regarding the fixing of the circuit board 11] As described above, by devising the layout of each element included in the substrate 11, the area of ​​the heat sink 13 and the substrate 11 can be reduced. As a result, not only can the area of ​​the substrate 11 and the heat sink 13 be reduced, but the weight of the substrate 11 and the heat sink 13 can also be reduced.

[0143] In the case of circuit boards without the layout modifications described above, the circuit board was fixed to the wall of the outdoor unit 90b using bushings and collars. Specifically, for example, a one-touch collar bushing (NB-400) manufactured by Natori Seisakusho Co., Ltd. was used, with the bushing fixed to the printed circuit board and the collar fixed to the wall of the outdoor unit 90b, and the circuit board was fixed to the wall of the outdoor unit 90b by screwing the bushing and collar together.

[0144] In this case, the circuit board can be more firmly fixed to the wall, which prevents the circuit board from coming off the wall due to its weight. However, it is necessary to secure space for attaching bushings to the circuit board, making it unsuitable for miniaturizing the circuit board.

[0145] In contrast, in this embodiment, the above-mentioned improvements make the substrate 11 lightweight, allowing for a simpler configuration for the fixing device to the wall. Therefore, in this embodiment, a resin spacer 51 is used as a fixing device simpler than a color bush. The resin spacer 51 is, for example, a locking card spacer ("card spacer" is a registered trademark) KGLS-10RTBM ("KGLS" is a registered trademark) manufactured by Kitagawa Industries Co., Ltd.

[0146] For example, the combined weight of the circuit board 11 and heat sink 13, including each component, is approximately 1.5 kg. Therefore, if the circuit board 11 is fixed with 15 resin spacers 51, the load on each resin spacer 51 becomes relatively light, approximately 100 g. As a result, even with simple fasteners such as resin spacers 51, it is possible to prevent the circuit board 11 from coming loose due to vibrations from the outdoor unit 90b, etc., making such fasteners practical for use.

[0147] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a plurality of spacer holes 52 are provided in the substrate 11. The tops of the plurality of resin spacers 51 are fixed to the wall surface of the casing 91, such as a partition plate 94, and the legs of these resin spacers 51 are inserted into the plurality of spacer holes 52, thereby fixing the substrate 11 to the wall surface of the casing 91.

[0148] Compared to the case where the circuit board 11 is fixed to the wall surface with bushings and collars, there is no need to secure space for bushings etc. on the circuit board 11, so the circuit board 11 can be made smaller than before. As a result, the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90 can be made smaller.

[0149] In particular, the use of the resin spacer 51 eliminates the need for screw fastening when fixing the substrate 11 to the wall surface of the casing 91. For example, when using collars and bushings, it was necessary to prevent damage to elements on the substrate (e.g., ceramic capacitors) caused by distortion of the substrate due to screw fastening. For this reason, a printed circuit board with high rigidity and resistance to bending was used as the substrate, and in this respect as well, it was unavoidable to increase the thickness and weight of the substrate.

[0150] In contrast, in this embodiment, since screw fastening of the substrate 11 is unnecessary, even if a relatively thin substrate 11 is used, the amount of strain when fixing the substrate 11 to the wall surface can be kept low (for example, 1600 microns or less), and damage to the elements contained in the substrate 11 can be prevented.

[0151] Furthermore, at least one of these resin spacers 51 may be an earth spacer 53 that includes both a resin part and a metal part. The earth spacer 53 is, for example, an FG spacer (FGS-4S) manufactured by Kitagawa Industries Co., Ltd. The metal part of the earth spacer 53 has an earth function that provides electrical conductivity between the substrate 11 and the wall surface.

[0152] In this way, since the earth spacer 53 can also serve as the ground, the circuit board 11 can be made smaller than in the conventional method compared to the case where a separate harness is provided from the resin spacer 51 and the circuit board 11 is grounded by that harness. As a result, the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90 can be made smaller.

[0153] [Effects of the Embodiment] (1) The electrical component module 10 according to the embodiment is an electrical component module 10 provided in the outdoor unit 90b of a single-phase power supply refrigeration device 90, comprising a circuit board 11, a plurality of cooling target elements 12 arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction of the main surface A1 of the circuit board 11, and a heat sink 13 installed with a gap in the thickness direction relative to the main surface A1, having a shape that is elongated in the longitudinal direction along the plurality of cooling target elements 12 and in contact with the plurality of cooling target elements 12, wherein the plurality of cooling target elements 12 include a plurality of inverter circuits 21, 22 and a PFC circuit 23, the longitudinal length L1 of the circuit board 11 is 350 mm or less, the length L2 from one side to the other in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of cooling target elements 12 arranged on the main surface A1, and the longitudinal length L3 of the heat sink 13 are both 250 mm or less and 75% or less of the longitudinal length L1 of the circuit board 11, and the electrical component module 10.

[0154] By arranging multiple cooling elements 12, including the PFC circuit 23, in a single line along the longitudinal direction of the substrate 11 and adjusting the size accordingly, the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration device 90 can be miniaturized.

[0155] (2) Preferably, the multiple cooling elements 12 include a packaged rectifier circuit 24, the rectifier circuit 24 includes a flat plate-shaped tip portion 241 with screw holes 244 formed in the thickness direction, and a plurality of terminals 243 extending in a first direction from one side 242 of the tip portion 241, and the heat sink 13 includes a first rectifier circuit 24a having a tip portion 241 with one side 242 having a first length W1 and a thickness of a first thickness T1, and The mounting area 131 includes a mounting area 131 to which either the tip portion 241, which has a side length 242 shorter than the first length W1 and a second thickness T2 thinner than the first thickness T1, is fixed. The mounting area 131 has a plurality of first screw holes 132 for screwing in the first rectifier circuit 24a, and a plurality of second screw holes 133 provided between the plurality of first screw holes 132 for screwing in the second rectifier circuit 24b.

[0156] With this configuration, either the first rectifier circuit 24a or the second rectifier circuit 24b can be fixed to the same fixed area 131 in the heat sink 13, eliminating the need to provide separate fixed areas 131 for the first rectifier circuit 24a and the second rectifier circuit 24b side by side. As a result, the area of ​​the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 and the heat sink 13 can be reduced, making it possible to miniaturize the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration device 90.

[0157] (3) Preferably, the substrate 11 includes, on the main surface A1, a plurality of first terminal holes 112 formed in each of the plurality of leads 111 into which a plurality of terminals 243 of the first rectifier circuit 24a is inserted, and a plurality of second terminal holes 113 formed inward from each of the plurality of leads 111, in view in the first direction, inward from the two first terminal holes 112 located at both ends of the plurality of first terminal holes 112 into which a plurality of terminals 243 of the second rectifier circuit 24b is inserted, wherein the plurality of second terminal holes 113 are located between the chip portion 241 and the plurality of first terminal holes 112 in view in the thickness direction.

[0158] With this configuration, the first terminal hole 112 and the second terminal hole 113 share the same lead 111, allowing for a shorter wiring pattern on the circuit board 11. Furthermore, this arrangement ensures sufficient insulation distance between the leads 111, enabling a more compact pattern layout.

[0159] (4) Preferably, the first rectifier circuit 24a is fixed to the fixing area 131 by inserting low-profile screws 246 with heads of 1.2 mm or less into the screw holes 244 and the first screw holes 132 of the tip portion 241, and the gap G1 in the thickness direction between the low-profile screws 246 and the substrate 11 is wider than the insulation distance Gx of the tip portion 241.

[0160] With this configuration, the distance between the heads of the low-profile screws 246 and the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 can be ensured, eliminating the need for measures such as drilling holes 114 in the substrate 11 to ensure an insulation distance Gx. As a result, the area on the main surface A1 of the substrate 11 that can be used to lay out patterns can be increased. This allows for more efficient use of the main surface A1 of the substrate 11, and enables miniaturization of the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration device 90.

[0161] (5) Preferably, the substrate 11 is a substrate that includes the communication circuit 31 and is laminated in multiple layers in the thickness direction, and the communication circuit 31 is located in a position on the substrate 11 that does not overlap with circuits other than the communication circuit 31 when viewed in the thickness direction.

[0162] This configuration allows the communication circuit 31 to be physically separated from other circuits, making it less susceptible to noise emitted from other circuits. As a result, the need for separate noise countermeasures in the communication circuit 31 is reduced, and the space previously required for such noise countermeasures can be reduced, thus enabling a miniaturization of the electrical component module 11 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90.

[0163] (6) Preferably, the main surface A1 further comprises a power supply circuit 41 provided on one of the shorter directions of the plurality of cooling target elements 12, and a control element 42 provided on the other of the shorter directions of the plurality of cooling target elements 12 on the main surface A1 for controlling the plurality of inverter circuits 21, 22, wherein the power supply circuit 41 supplies power to the plurality of inverter circuits 21, 22 through a plurality of input line sections 82 provided on one of the shorter directions of the plurality of cooling target elements 12, and the control element 42 is connected to a plurality of detection lines 45 for detecting current values ​​from a plurality of shunt resistors 44 provided on each of the plurality of input line sections 82.

[0164] By separating the control element 42 from the power supply circuit 41, the control element 42 becomes less susceptible to noise emitted from the power supply circuit 41. As a result, the need for separate noise countermeasures on the control element 42 is reduced, and the space required for such noise countermeasures can be reduced. In addition, since multiple cooling target elements 12 are located between the control element 42 and the power supply circuit 41, the space created to separate the control element 42 from the power supply circuit 41 can be effectively utilized. This makes it possible to miniaturize the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90.

[0165] (7) Preferably, a plurality of detection lines 45 are input to a predetermined side of the control element 42.

[0166] By inputting multiple detection lines 45 to the same side, the multiple detection lines 45 can be compactly arranged, making efficient use of space on the circuit board 11. This makes it possible to miniaturize the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90.

[0167] (8) Preferably, the shunt resistor 44 comprises a resistor 441, a first electrode 442 and a second electrode 443 facing each other in the second direction and connected to both ends of the resistor 441, a first signal line 444 drawn out from the central portion 442a of the first electrode 442 in a direction perpendicular to the second direction, and a second signal line 445 drawn out from the end portion 443b of the second electrode 443 in the same perpendicular direction, wherein the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 are connected to the input line portion 82.

[0168] By drawing signal lines 444 and 445 from the central part 442a of the first electrode 442 and the end part 443b of the second electrode 443, respectively, the signal lines 444 and 445 can be drawn using the same signal line pattern regardless of the width of the gap between the first electrode 442 and the second electrode 443 in the second direction. This eliminates the need to prepare multiple types of substrates 11 depending on the width of the gap in the second direction, thereby increasing the versatility of the substrate 11.

[0169] (9) Preferably, the outdoor unit 90b further comprises a plurality of resin spacers 51 that fix the substrate 11 to the wall surface inside the outdoor unit 90b.

[0170] Compared to the case where the circuit board 11 is fixed to the wall surface with bushings and collars, there is no need to secure space for bushings etc. on the circuit board 11, so the circuit board 11 can be made smaller than before. As a result, the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90 can be made smaller.

[0171] (10) Preferably, at least one of the plurality of resin spacers 51 is an earth spacer 53 including a resin part and a metal part, and the metal part provides electrical connection between the substrate 11 and the wall surface.

[0172] Since the earth spacer 53 among the resin spacers 51 can also serve as the ground, the circuit board 11 can be made smaller than in the conventional method compared to when the circuit board 11 is grounded by a harness. As a result, the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90 can be made smaller.

[0173] (11) Preferably, the heatsink 13 further includes a thermistor element 60 for measuring the temperature of one of the multiple cooling target elements 12, wherein the thermistor element 60 is fixed to the heatsink 13 together with the cooling target element 200 by sequentially inserting screws 70 into screw holes 61a formed in the thickness direction of the thermistor element 60, screw holes 201a formed in the thickness direction of the measuring target element 200, and screw holes 13a formed in the heatsink 13.

[0174] By fixing the thermistor element 60 to the heat sink 13 together with the element to be measured 200, the distance between the thermistor element 60 and the element to be measured 200 is reduced compared to when the thermistor element 60 is individually fixed to the heat sink 13 near the element to be measured 200. As a result, the thermistor element 60 can measure the temperature of the element to be measured 200 more accurately. In addition, by overlapping the element to be measured 200 and the thermistor element 60 in the thickness direction, the horizontal area required for the heat sink 13 can be reduced. This makes it possible to miniaturize the electrical component module 10 used in the single-phase power supply refrigeration system 90.

[0175] (12) The refrigeration system 90 according to the embodiment is a refrigeration system 90 having any of the electrical component modules 10 described in (1) to (11) above.

[0176] According to the refrigeration device 90, the same effects and advantages as any of the electrical component modules 10 described in (1) to (11) above can be obtained.

[0177] [Note] As described above, the embodiments can be modified in various ways and details without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0178] 10: Electrical component module, 11: Circuit board, 11a: First circuit board, 11b: Second circuit board, 11c: Third circuit board, 11d: Fourth circuit board, 111: Lead, 112: First terminal hole, 113: Second terminal hole, 114: Hole, 12: Element to be cooled, 13: Heat sink, 13a: Screw hole, 130: Heat sink, 131: Fixing area, 132: First screw hole, 133: Second screw hole, 200: Element to be measured, 201: Chip part, 201a: Screw hole, 202: Terminal, 21: First inverter circuit, 22: 2: Inverter circuit, 23: PFC circuit, 24: Rectifier circuit, 24a: First rectifier circuit, 24b: Second rectifier circuit, 241: Chip section, 242: One side, 243: Terminal, 244: Screw hole, 246: Low-profile screw, 247: Screw, 248: Screw, 31: Communication circuit, 41: Power supply circuit, 42: Control element, 44: Shunt resistor, 44b: Shunt resistor, 44c: Shunt resistor, 441: Resistor, 442: First electrode, 442a: Center section, 442b: End section, 443: Second electrode, 443a: Center section ,443b: End, 444: First signal line, 445: Second signal line, 446: First signal line, 447: Second signal line, 45: Detection line, 51: Resin spacer, 52: Spacer hole, 53: Ground spacer, 55: Input / output terminal, 60: Thermistor element, 61: Mounting part, 61a: Screw hole, 62: Resistor, 63: Wiring, 70: Screw, 71: Screw, 72: Screw, 81: AC power supply, 82: Input line section, 83: Output line section, 84: Load, 90: Refrigeration device, 90a: Indoor unit, 90b: Outdoor unit, 90c: Refrigerant circuit, 91: Casing, 92: Heat exchange chamber, 93: Machine room, 94: Partition plate, 95: Fan, 96: Compressor, 97: Refrigerant piping, 97a: Refrigerant jacket, B1: Building, S1: Indoor space, S2: Outdoor space, A1: Main surface, A2: Back surface, SP1: First space, SP2: Second space, G1: Gap, G2: Gap, Gx: Insulation distance, R1: Communication circuit area, R2: Other circuit area, D1: Distance between areas, W41: Gap, W42: Gap, LH: First power line, LL: Second power line

Claims

1. An electrical component module (10) installed in the outdoor unit (90b) of a single-phase power supply refrigeration system (90), A substrate (11) and A plurality of cooling target elements (12) are arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the main surface (A1) of the substrate (11), A heat sink (13) is installed with a gap in the thickness direction relative to the main surface (A1), and has a shape that is elongated in the longitudinal direction along the plurality of elements to be cooled (12), and is in contact with the plurality of elements to be cooled (12). Equipped with, The multiple cooling target elements (12) include multiple inverter circuits (21, 22) and a PFC circuit (23), The longitudinal length (L1) of the substrate (11) is 350 mm or less. On the main surface (A1), the length (L2) from one side to the other in the longitudinal direction where the plurality of elements to be cooled (12) are arranged, and the length (L3) of the heat sink (13) in the longitudinal direction are both 250 mm or less, and 75% or less of the length (L1) of the substrate (11). Electrical component module (10).

2. The multiple cooling target elements (12) include a packaged rectifier circuit (24), The rectifier circuit (24) includes a flat plate-shaped tip portion (241) having screw holes (244) formed in the thickness direction, and a plurality of terminals (243) extending in a first direction from one side (242) of the tip portion (241), The heat sink (13) includes a fixing region (131) to which either a first rectifier circuit (24a) having a chip portion (241) with one side (242) of a first length (W1) and a thickness of a first thickness (T1), or a second rectifier circuit (24b) having a chip portion (241) with one side (242) of a second length (W2) shorter than the first length (W1) and a thickness of a second thickness (T2) thinner than the first thickness (T1), is fixed. The fixed region (131) is provided with a plurality of first screw holes (132) for screwing in the first rectifier circuit (24a), and a second screw hole (133) provided between the plurality of first screw holes (132) for screwing in the second rectifier circuit (24b). The electrical component module (10) according to claim 1.

3. The substrate (11) has the following characteristics on its main surface (A1): Multiple first terminal holes (112) are formed in each of the multiple leads (111), into which each of the multiple terminals (243) of the first rectifier circuit (24a) is inserted, Among the multiple leads (111), the multiple second terminal holes (113) are formed inward from the two first terminal holes (112) located at both ends of the multiple first terminal holes (112) when viewed in the first direction, and into which the multiple terminals (243) of the second rectifier circuit (24b) are inserted, The plurality of second terminal holes (113) are located between the tip portion (241) and the plurality of first terminal holes (112) when viewed in the thickness direction. The electrical component module (10) according to claim 2.

4. The first rectifier circuit (24a) is fixed to the fixing area (131) by inserting a low-profile screw (246) with a head of 1.2 mm or less into the screw hole (244) and the first screw hole (132) of the tip portion (241). The gap (G1) in the thickness direction between the low-profile screw (246) and the substrate (11) is wider than the insulation distance (Gx) of the tip portion (241). The electrical component module (10) according to claim 2 or claim 3.

5. The substrate (11) includes a communication circuit (31) and is a substrate stacked in multiple layers in the thickness direction. Viewed in the thickness direction, the communication circuit (31) is provided in a position on the substrate (11) that does not overlap with any circuits other than the communication circuit (31). An electrical component module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A power supply circuit (41) is provided on one of the shorter sides of the multiple cooling target elements (12) on the main surface (A1), A control element (42) is provided on the other side of the shorter side of the plurality of cooling target elements (12) on the main surface (A1) and controls the plurality of inverter circuits (21, 22), Furthermore, The power supply circuit (41) supplies power to each of the inverter circuits (21, 22) through a plurality of input line portions (82) provided on one of the shorter sides of the plurality of cooling target elements (12). The control element (42) has multiple detection lines (45) connected to each of the multiple shunt resistors (44) provided on each of the multiple input line sections (82) for detecting current values. An electrical component module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. Multiple detection lines (45) are input to a predetermined side of the control element (42). The electrical component module (10) according to claim 6.

8. The aforementioned shunt resistor (44) is Resistor (441), The first electrode (442) and the second electrode (443) are facing each other in the second direction and connected to both ends of the resistor (441), In a direction perpendicular to the second direction, the first signal line (444) is drawn out from the central part (442a) of the first electrode (442), In the aforementioned orthogonal direction, the second signal line (445) is drawn out from the end (443b) of the second electrode (443), Equipped with, The first electrode (442) and the second electrode (443) are connected to the input line section (82). The electrical component module (10) according to claim 6.

9. Multiple resin spacers (51) are used to fix the substrate (11) to the wall surface inside the outdoor unit (90b). Furthermore, An electrical component module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

10. Of the plurality of resin spacers (51), at least one resin spacer (51) is an earth spacer (53) including a resin part and a metal part. The metal part provides electrical connection between the substrate (11) and the wall surface. The electrical component module (10) according to claim 9.

11. A thermistor element (60) that measures the temperature of a target element (200) among the multiple elements to be cooled (12), Furthermore, The thermistor element (60) is fixed to the heat sink (13) together with the element to be measured (200) by sequentially inserting screws (70) into the screw holes (61a) formed in the thickness direction of the thermistor element (60), the screw holes (201a) formed in the thickness direction of the element to be measured (200), and the screw holes (13a) formed in the heat sink (13). An electrical component module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

12. A refrigeration system (90) having an electrical component module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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